Phil Samis
Encyclopedia
Philip Lawrence Samis is a retired NHL
defenceman
. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs
.
and play for the St. Michael's Majors
. He helped the team win the 1945
Memorial Cup
. Along the way he played with future NHL
ers like Les Costello
, Johnny McCormack, Jim Morrison
, Gus Mortson
, Tod Sloan
and Jimmy Thomson. He was coached by Hockey Hall of Fame
r Joe Primeau
. He would spend the next two seasons with the Oshawa Generals
of the OHA
.
signing a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs
. He was assigned to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL
. He was called up to the NHL
for the playoff run that spring. He played 5 games for the Maple Leafs
helping them win the 1948 Stanley Cup
. He was sent back to Pittsburgh at the start of the 1949
season. He did not return to the NHL until 1950 when he was called up for 2 games as an injury replacement. After that he spent the rest of his career playing in the AHL
for the Pittsburgh Hornets and the Cleveland Barons. He helped Cleveland win the Calder Cup
in 1951
. He retired from hockey in 1953. He briefly came out of retirement and played 1 season for the Montreal Royals of the QMHL.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Junior career
Samis started out playing minor hockey in his hometown for the Edmonton Maple Leafs in 1943–44. The next season he moved to Toronto to attend St. Michael's CollegeSt. Michael's College School
St. Michael's College School is a private, all-boys Roman Catholic day school in Toronto, Canada. Currently administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Canada, with an enrollment of approximately 1,080 students from grades 7 to 12. St...
and play for the St. Michael's Majors
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
The Toronto St. Michael's Majors, was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The hockey program was founded and operated by St. Michael's College School in 1906, and adopted the name "Majors" in 1934, and was commonly referred to as St. Mike's...
. He helped the team win the 1945
1945 Memorial Cup
The 1945 Memorial Cup final was the 27th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Moose Jaw...
Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
. Along the way he played with future NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
ers like Les Costello
Les Costello
Fr. Lester John Thomas Costello was a Canadian ice hockey player and Catholic priest.He was born in South Porcupine, Ontario, a neighbourhood of Timmins, and played hockey as a teenager, eventually joining Toronto's St. Michael's Majors in the 1940s, winning two Memorial Cups with the team in 1945...
, Johnny McCormack, Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison (hockey)
James Stewart Hunter Morrison is a retired former professional ice hockey defenceman, coach and scout. He played 704 National Hockey League games for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins...
, Gus Mortson
Gus Mortson
James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson is a former NHL defenceman.-Awards and achievements:*1947 Stanley Cup Championship *1948 Stanley Cup Championship...
, Tod Sloan
Tod Sloan (ice hockey)
Aloysius Martin "Tod" Sloan is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Sloan started his National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1948. He would also play for the Chicago Black Hawks. He would retire after the 1961 season...
and Jimmy Thomson. He was coached by Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
r Joe Primeau
Joe Primeau
Alfred Joseph Francis "Gentleman Joe" Primeau , was a Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Playing career:...
. He would spend the next two seasons with the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
of the OHA
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
.
Professional career
He turned professional in 19481947–48 AHL season
The 1947–48 AHL season was the 12th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Cleveland Barons won their sixth F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West Division champions, and won their fourth Calder Cup as league champions.It was the first season, the AHL...
signing a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He was assigned to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. He was called up to the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the playoff run that spring. He played 5 games for the Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
helping them win the 1948 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
. He was sent back to Pittsburgh at the start of the 1949
1948–49 AHL season
The 1948–49 AHL season was the 13th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Wally Kilrea Trophy for the league's "top point scorer," is renamed the Carl Liscombe Trophy. The St. Louis Flyers won their first F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West...
season. He did not return to the NHL until 1950 when he was called up for 2 games as an injury replacement. After that he spent the rest of his career playing in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
for the Pittsburgh Hornets and the Cleveland Barons. He helped Cleveland win the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
in 1951
1950–51 AHL season
The 1950–51 AHL season was the 15th season of the American Hockey League. Ten teams were scheduled to played 70 games each, however the New Haven Eagles folded midseason. The Cleveland Barons won their eighth F. G...
. He retired from hockey in 1953. He briefly came out of retirement and played 1 season for the Montreal Royals of the QMHL.
Trivia
- Wore Uniform # 2 for the Pittsburgh Hornets
- Wore Uniform # 23 for the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
http://cdn.nhl.com/mapleleafs/bc/images/contentdelta/assets/history/all_time_sweater_numbers.pdf